Ethically Determining the Authorship of Health Science Research Publications: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Authorship is a significant aspect of scientific research publications, serving as a primary means of acknowledging the intellectual contributions of individuals and shaping career trajectories. However, determining authorship ethically and fairly in health science research remains a complex and multifaceted issue. This scoping review aims to explore the existing literature surrounding ethical considerations associated with authorship determination in health science research publications. A scoping review methodology was employed to search relevant databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science) for studies published between 1989 and 2023. A total of 25 studies met the inclusion criteria. The findings revealed that ethical authorship practices in health science research are complex and multifaceted. This review emphasized how crucial it is to have precise rules and guidelines for deciding who is the author in academic journals, research institutes, and societies. The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) has published several ethical principles to address the difficulties associated with authorship determination. Still, there are differences and disagreements in how these rules are interpreted and applied, which could present moral enigmas. The review also examines new ethical issues arising from multidisciplinary and collaborative research, such as the responsibilities of industry collaborations and funding, shared authorship, and acknowledging the contributions of other groups. Maintaining the integrity of health science research and encouraging responsible collaboration requires making sure that authorship determination is transparent, equitable, and accountable. According to the common census, key ethical considerations include:

• Authorship should be based on substantial contributions to the research project.
• Authors should be transparent about their contributions and accountable for the content of the publication.
• Ghost authorship, where individuals who have made significant contributions are not listed as authors, and gift authorship, where individuals who have not made significant contributions are included as authors, are unethical practices.
• Authors should disclose any conflicts of interest that could influence their judgment or interpretation of the research findings.

Keywords: The search terms included "authorship," "ethics," "health science research," "publication," and "scoping review."